


Fleeting Love

by Inyx_Dawn



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, September 11 Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-31
Updated: 2015-03-30
Packaged: 2017-11-02 19:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/372472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inyx_Dawn/pseuds/Inyx_Dawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Love is precious and infinite. It can touch every corner of your life until the most mundane event – the sunlight touching the edge of a gold gilded tea cup – becomes a miracle. But love can also fade. What was once a soaring feeling in your heart can now drag it down with dread. But perhaps the worst experience is fleeting love. When your love for someone is so vast, so all encompassing the mere glimpse of the other causes you to break into a smile…and then it’s gone. In an instant everything changes and what you thought would last forever vanishes like crumbling ash in your hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fleeting Love

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Harry laughed as Cedric's fingers danced across his sides, his body trapping the younger man's between himself and the counter.

"Cedric! S-stop!" Harry giggled out.

Said man's smile widened into a grin as he stilled his hands. But before Harry could catch his breath, Cedric wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him into a chaste kiss.

Harry sighed happily, and ran his fingers through his lover's golden brown hair.

As they parted, verdant eyes gazed intensely into glittering gray.

Cedric smiled and closed his eyes, leaning down until his head rested gently on Harry's shoulder. "I love you, Harry," he whispered delicately into his ear.

The younger man shivered as his lover's hot breath hit his ear. "I love you too, Cedric. Always."

Cedric nuzzled into his neck. "Always."

* * *

Harry hummed silently as he took the turkey out of the oven and set it onto the kitchen table. Harry smiled down at it while carefully placing cooked pineapple slices around the edges of the platter. He clapped his hands as he finished, and went to hang up his apron.

He set the table for two, checking the clock repeatedly. Cedric would be home in ten minutes, and Harry wanted their first Christmas Eve together to go perfectly.

Precisely at six o'clock, Cedric walked through the front door, his face hidden by various boxes and bags. Harry snickered and went to help his poor boyfriend.

As they placed all of the presents underneath the tree, Cedric grabbed onto Harry's hand. Confused, the young man looked up at him. "What's wrong?" he asked, staring into intense, warm eyes.

Suddenly, the older man smiled and pulled his lover toward him. Harry closed his eyes as he felt a pair of soft lips kissing his eyelids, his nose, his forehead, his cheeks, and, finally, settling rightly onto his own pink petals.

And as they parted, Cedric buried his head into Harry's shoulder, whispering, "I love you, Harry."

Harry ran his fingers soothingly through the man's silken hair, smiling contently. "I love you too, Cedric. Always."

"Always."

* * *

Harry blushed as he avoided Cedric's gaze. It was Valentine's Day so Harry thought he'd make a big strawberry cake with pink and white frosting. The moment Cedric had come home, the young man raced to the door carrying the cake and wished his lover a happy Valentine's Day.

Cedric had carefully taken the cake from Harry's hands and placed it onto the living room table before taking a hold of Harry and spinning him around the room.

Once he set his radiating lover down, Cedric picked up the cake, and led Harry into the kitchen. And as he took his first bite, his eyes widened and he stared at Harry. "This is splendid, Harry!" he exclaimed.

And this was why Harry was currently blushing, not used to praise just yet.

The young man heard the scraping of a chair on the floor, and he looked up. Cedric stood before him holding out a simple heart shaped card, his left hand behind his neck smiling uncertainly.

But Harry took the letter, handling it delicately. As he read the excerpt, silent tears coursed down his cheeks.

He jumped up, the letter swaying gently onto the table, and he wrapped his arms around Cedric's neck.

_Dear Harry,_

_I love you! Just writing that puts a smile on my face. You put a smile on my face._

_I love you because of your sweetness, your kindness, your tenderness, and your thoughtfulness._

_I love you because you are my dear friend and loving companion. You smile at my silly jokes and enjoy my youthful spirit._

_I love you because I have a longing to be close to you and you long to be close to me. I love snuggling with you in front of a fire and cuddling with you as we watch TV. I love to be near you. I love holding your hand on a walk during the day and holding your hands across the table at a restaurant at night._

_I love you because you listen to me as I share the small triumphs or struggles of the day._

_I love you because in moments of friction between us, you hear me out. Even when you don't agree with me, you listen with a longing to understand me._

_I love you because you respect me. You honor the man that I am, rather than try to make me into someone I am not. You suffer my imperfections and my shortcomings largely without complaint._

_I love you because you appreciate me. You enjoy my attentiveness and appreciate my efforts to romance you. You appreciate my generosity to yourself and my generosity toward others._

_I love you,_

_Cedric_

_P.S. I love you. Always._

* * *

Cedric chuckled at his boyfriend. Harry was currently adorned with jet black pants, a lime green shirt with a huge leprechaun in the center The back said 'Kiss me dammit, I'm Irish!', a shamrock was tattooed onto his right cheek, and he had died his hair a temporary emerald green.

"You're not even Irish, love. So why are you wearing this getup?" Cedric asked.

Harry pouted and crossed his arms. "You don't have to be of a certain nationality to celebrate a holiday."

The older man smiled. "Alright, Harry. Would you like me to with you to this parade?"

Harry grinned and latched onto his arm, jumping up and down. "Yes please! I hear that your office building is going to have a big Irish flag hanging from it."

Cedric rolled his eyes as he led his excited lover to the car. "So I've heard. It's the World Trade Center, babe; I'm sure everyone's heard."

But Harry wasn't listening to him; he was ranting about what kind of floats and people will be there. Cedric interrupted him, though, by pushing Harry up against the side of his car. He buried his head into Harry's shoulder as his lover ran his fingers calmly through his hair.

"I love you, Harry," Cedric whispered happily.

Harry lifted the older man's hand and kissed his palm. "I love you too, Cedric. Always."

Cedric kissed the side of Harry's neck. "Always."

* * *

"Happy birthday, Harry!"

Cedric had burst through the door, carrying a small box riddled with holes and a big package. He set both on the kitchen table and kissed his dazed lover.

Cedric broke off the kiss before it got too heated, and led Harry closer to the table. He picked up the small box and placed it in Harry's hands. The young man almost dropped it, not having expected it to be so heavy; but he managed to keep a hold of it. Curious, he lifted up the lid and gasped. He slipped a hand into the box and carried out a small black puppy. He giggled furiously as it jumped onto its hind legs and began happily licking his face.

Cedric grinned anxiously. "You've been saying for a while now that you wanted a puppy so...yeah. Do you like him?"

Harry slowly stopped laughing and carefully held the dog underneath his arm before pulling Cedric into a one armed hug, pushing the older man's head onto his shoulder when he heard him sigh, relieved.

"I love you, Harry," Cedric spoke softly.

Harry squeezed his eyes shut and held on tighter. "I love you too, Cedric. Always."

Nimble hands rubbed gently against Harry's back. "Always."

* * *

Cedric nervously fiddled with the small black box in his coat pocket as he made his way to work. That day was his and Harry's first anniversary, and Cedric was planning on asking Harry to marry him.

He sighed, and entered the elevator. 'This day is going to go by very fast,' he mentally murmured.

* * *

When Harry woke up that morning, it was to the sight of an off white letter lying innocently on Cedric's pillow. He smiled and picked it up, carrying it into the living room so that he could read it while watching TV. He turned it on and flipped until he had the FOX news.

He nearly ran into the TV to get closer as he saw the destruction and devastation on it.

"Welcome back to FOX news," the woman said, "We have a very tragic alert for you right now. An incredible plane crash into the World Trade Center here at the lower tip of Manhattan."

"It's believed at 7:37 this morning; this is just speculation right now, that three floors have been taken out, crashed into the side of the building," a man said, "Here's Owen on the scene."

"Yeah I'm on the roof of my building about five blocks south of the World Trade Center. I'm looking right now at the World Trade Center; there's a massive gaping hole um on the second tower. It's about fifteen stories from the roof. It's just it's unbelievable to look at. There's a massive hole," Owen said, sounding confused.

"It looks like something from a movie. There's a huge hole on the side of tower number one. Owen, your apartment is just a few blocks from it, did you hear anything?"

"I was lying in bed and all of a sudden I heard what sounded like a plane or something coming extremely low and then we just heard this shattering explosion, and we went to the roof and confronted by this horror that the gaping hole - I can see the south base and there are flames and papers flying out of the windows and black flames; there are flames coming out of multiple floors."

"Did it sound like a- There is one report on one news channel here in New York City that perhaps it was a jet, perhaps at 7:37 - when you heard the noise did it sound like a prop job or a jet?"

"It - it sounded like a jet. But from where I was I couldn't tell. All I know is there was something in the air that smashed the side. If it was a jet, I just don't know."

"Listening to you right now, I can hear a lot of sirens, is that what you're hearing right now?"

"Yeah, I'm going to move to the front of my-"

_An incredible plane crash into the World Trade Center..._

"No," Harry whispered.

He ran out of the house and jumped into his car, his heart beating profoundly and his mind racing

_Cedric, Cedric, Cedric_

* * *

Arriving a few blocks away from the Towers, Harry fell out of his car and ran toward the building. Sirens were filling his ears with mindless buzzing, but all he could think of, all he could see was -

_Cedric!_

Harry gasped as he took in the sight of the tower. There was indeed a huge hole with black smoke fuming from it and around the top of the tower. But looking to the side, Harry could see another hole where the plane flew out of.

One of his hands flew to his mouth as he choked on a sob. Tears fell from his eyes.

_No, not Cedric!_

He walked limply, hardly able to move with the cries that were racking his body as he imagined his lover trapped in the building. More debris fell from the sky, crashing around the tower making Harry's heart tighten even more.

_Cedric, Cedric, Cedric..._

Ten of the floors seemed to be demolished, and all Harry could think of was that by the time the plane crashed, Cedric would be in the elevator.

_Trapped...no..._

"Oh my God!" someone screamed.

"What's going on?" someone else yelled.

Voices were crying out in curiosity and devastation.

_Cedric_

Another plane zoomed overhead and rammed into the second tower causing a massive explosion.

Harry fell to the ground, screaming. "CEDRIC!"

There were panicked voices everywhere, circling around the young man and making his lungs tighten and his eyes sting. His heart seemed frozen and it was beating so fast, the blood was bounding in his ears.

_Cedric!_

Above, a portion of the first tower was coming apart, a terrible screeching sound reverberated around the area as great clouds of yellow smoke smothered the streets.

Harry got up and ran, sobbing hysterically.

Screams echoed around him as he heard another crash. The second tower had collapsed.

_Cedric!_

"Oh my God, Cedric, no!" he cried out, tumbling to the pavement.

He curled into a ball, silently watching other people run away from the destroyed World Trade Center.

_I love you, Harry..._

"I love you too, Cedric. Always," he whispered among the panic, his eyes sliding shut.

_Always..._

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_You don't know how much I love you. We've been together for only a year now, but it feels like so much longer. I don't particularly know why I'm writing this, but I don't think, when the moment comes, that I will be able to get the words out._

_You are my heart, my soul, my life, my air, my everything. So, will you, Harry James Potter, marry me? So that we can be together always?_

_With all my hope and love,_

_Cedric_


	2. Alternate Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I was revising the original Fleeting Love – feel free to reread as a few changes were made – I decided that this story clearly needed an alternative ending for those who just can’t stand to have Harry and Cedric’s love die like that. As such I’ve written the following for people who enjoy happier endings. Some parts are the same as the original ending but I implore you to read it from beginning to end as some passages were added to connect the new ending. Enjoy!

Cedric nervously fiddled with the small black box in his coat pocket as he made his way to work. That day was his and Harry's first anniversary, and Cedric was planning on asking Harry to marry him.

He sighed, and stepped up to the elevator. 'This day is going to go by very fast,' he mentally murmured.

* * *

When Harry woke up that morning, it was to the sight of an off white letter lying innocently on Cedric's pillow. He smiled and picked it up, carrying it into the living room so that he could read it while watching TV. He turned it on and flipped until he had the FOX news.

He nearly ran into the TV to get closer as he saw the destruction and devastation on it.

"Welcome back to FOX news," the woman said, "We have a very tragic alert for you right now. An incredible plane crash into the World Trade Center here at the lower tip of Manhattan."

"It's believed at 7:37 this morning; this is just speculation right now, that three floors have been taken out, crashed into the side of the building," a man said, "Here's Owen on the scene."

"Yeah I'm on the roof of my building about five blocks south of the World Trade Center. I'm looking right now at the World Trade Center; there's a massive gaping hole um on the second tower. It's about fifteen stories from the roof. It's just it's unbelievable to look at. There's a massive hole," Owen said, sounding confused.

"It looks like something from a movie. There's a huge hole on the side of tower number one. Owen, your apartment is just a few blocks from it, did you hear anything?"

"I was lying in bed and all of a sudden I heard what sounded like a plane or something coming extremely low and then we just heard this shattering explosion, and we went to the roof and confronted by this horror that the gaping hole - I can see the south base and there are flames and papers flying out of the windows and black flames; there are flames coming out of multiple floors."

"Did it sound like a- There is one report on one news channel here in New York City that perhaps it was a jet, perhaps at 7:37 - when you heard the noise did it sound like a prop job or a jet?"

"It - it sounded like a jet. But from where I was I couldn't tell. All I know is there was something in the air that smashed the side. If it was a jet, I just don't know."

"Listening to you right now, I can hear a lot of sirens, is that what you're hearing right now?"

"Yeah, I'm going to move to the front of my-"

_An incredible plane crash into the World Trade Center..._

"No," Harry whispered.

He ran out of the house and jumped into his car, his heart beating profoundly and his mind racing

_Cedric, Cedric, Cedric_

* * *

Arriving a few blocks away from the Towers, Harry fell out of his car and ran toward the building. Sirens were filling his ears with mindless buzzing, but all he could think of, all he could see was -

_Cedric!_

Harry gasped as he took in the sight of the tower. There was indeed a huge hole with black smoke fuming from it and around the top of the tower. But looking to the side, Harry could see another hole where the plane flew out of.

One of his hands flew to his mouth as he choked on a sob. Tears fell from his eyes.

_No, not Cedric!_

He walked limply, hardly able to move with the cries that were racking his body as he imagined his lover trapped in the building. More debris fell from the sky, crashing around the tower making Harry's heart tighten even more.

_Cedric, Cedric, Cedric..._

Ten of the floors seemed to be demolished, and all Harry could think of was that by the time the plane crashed, Cedric would be in the elevator.

People were leaving the towers in floods, tripping over each other and screaming in terror and confusion. Medical personal had already arrived but the influx of possible patients seemed to overwhelm them. 

_No, no, no, no!_

"Oh my God!" someone screamed.

"What's going on?" someone else yelled.

Harry barely noticed the rush of people hugging each other near the ambulances as people in the crowd noticed loved ones that had managed to exit the towers.

_Cedric_

Another plane zoomed overhead and rammed into the second tower causing a massive explosion.

Harry fell to the ground, screaming. "Cedric!"

There were panicked voices everywhere, circling around the young man and making his lungs tighten and his eyes sting. His heart seemed frozen and it was beating so fast, the blood was bounding in his ears.

_Cedric!_

Above, a portion of the first tower was coming apart, a terrible screeching sound reverberated around the area as great clouds of yellow smoke smothered the streets.

Harry got up and ran, sobbing hysterically.

Screams echoed around him as he heard another crash. The second tower had collapsed.

_Cedric!_

"Oh my God, Cedric, no!" he cried out, tumbling to the pavement.

“Harry? Harry!” a voice called out near him.

Harry scrambled up from the ground and whipped his head around. A sob tore from his throat as he blearily recognized a familiar face through his tears.

“Oh my God, Cedric!”

Harry ran towards the man, barely noticing his dust covered attire and scratched up arms.

Cedric wrapped his arms around Harry, smoothing down his shirt as the younger man began gasping through his relived tears.

“I love you, I love you, I love you, I lo-”

Harry was cut off as the other man took a hold of his trembling lips with his own, attempting to calm them both down.

“I love you too,” Cedric whispered, breaking the kiss off gently. “Always.”

Harry shuddered and buried his face in Cedric’s neck. “Always.”

* * *

A few weeks later found both men at home, laying on their sides in their bed with Harry’s puppy lying at the end. They were carefully holding hands with their foreheads being the only other part of their bodies touching each other.

They had talked through the event that almost tore them apart and knew that only being close to each other would heal them. Cedric had told Harry how he’d gotten stuck in rush hour traffic having left late because of his nerves over his proposal. Because of this, when the first plane had struck the tower he had only just stepped up to the elevators. Harry didn't care what had saved him; he was just beyond grateful that Cedric had been saved.

“Harry?” Cedric whispered.

The other man smiled happily, eyes still closed and hummed in question.

Cedric gently took away one hand from Harry’s grasp and reached into his pocket. Once he’d grasped a familiar ring box, he brought his hand and the box back to their original position.

Harry’s eyes widened abruptly at the velvety feeling of the box now in between his and Cedric’s hands. He glanced down at it in surprise and then looked back into love filled eyes.

“I know you read my letter, but I also know it’s marked by the events that happened that day. So I want to try this again. Harry,” he paused seeming to try and grasp for words. “Harry, I have never loved another person as much as I love you. The first time I saw you, I just knew you were going to be someone special to me. Every time I look at you my heart skips a beat and I can’t contain the sheer joy I feel knowing that you've placed your heart in my hands. I only hope, if you accept that is, that in the years to come I can take care of your heart as gracefully and lovingly as you've taken care of mine.”

Harry was smiling through his tears at this point, nuzzling his head next to Cedric’s.

“So,” Cedric continued with a wobbly smile. “Harry Potter, will you marry me?”

Harry laughed weakly, still crying, and whispered, “Yes.”

Cedric’s face lit up and he carefully took out the simple silver ring, a lone small emerald lying in the middle, and pushed it onto his new fiancé’s left ring finger.

Harry quickly scooted forward and pressed several heartfelt kisses onto Cedric’s lips. “I love you, Cedric.”

“I love you too, Harry. Always.”

Harry sighed happily. “Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> © 2008 Inyx Dawn
> 
> Please be aware that this story has been revised as of March 30, 2015. An alternate ending has also been included.


End file.
